Boiling Point
by wondertross
Summary: Ashlocke is healed, and looking to destroy Mutant X, one member at a time. then nothing will stand between him, and killing everyone who opposes him.......... EA, SD, J?
1. Chapter 1

Title:

A/N: Wow, I haven't written fanfiction in a while, but here goes. This is my second Mutant X fic, set around the second season. I always thought Ashlocke was a great enemy to have and wished the writers had left him in longer. So imagine for me please, that Adam HAD found a cure to stabilize Ashlocke. Could be interesting, yes?

This story brings back my OC Max, so if you want to know her deal I recommend reading Powers That Be first. Hope you enjoy!

Pairings: Wouldn't you like to know……

Disclaimer: I don't any of them but Max.

Max Wallacebrought the bottle to her lips, draining the last of her nightly beer. Then she turned and tossed it, the green bottle arcing overhead before landing squarely in the center of the trash bin. Max raised both her fists into the air, triumphant. "Yes! Three points!" Her wide grain vanished quickly however, and she shook her head as she wiped down the bar a final time. "Man I need to get a life." With a small sigh, Max flipped the bar towel over her shoulder and began her last task of the evening, putting the recently cleaned glassware back on their shelves.

It was nearing three AM and the bar had been closed for nearly an hour. So when four people sauntered in through what Max could have sworn was a locked door, she was more than a little surprised. "Sorry guys, bar's closed," she called back over her shoulder. She hoped she sounded more nonchalant than she felt.

"That's okay," one of them said. "We're not here to drink."

Max stiffened and slowly turned. The four people, three men and one woman, had spread out across the bar floor. They were blocking all the doors. Max's eyes narrowed, flicking to each person in turn. "You don't want to drink," she leaned both hands on the counter, suddenly grateful to have the mahogany bar between her and the others. "So what the hell you doin in my bar?"

"We're lookin for someone," a thick, ruddy faced, bald man said.

Max sneered. "Well I know you ain't lookin for me, so I think you got the wrong place."

The bald man chuckled. "I don't think so. Where's Sasha Allweather?"

Mere mention of the other woman's name had Max sliding one hand beneath the bar, fingertips brushing the loaded shotgun she had hidden there. She didn't like guns, but the nature of her life had made hiding one seem almost a necessity. Thankfully she'd never had to use it before, and hoped she wouldn't have to that night either. "I don't know any Sasha Allweather," she lied. "You've got the wrong bar."

All the half hearted jesting ceased in that moment. The bald man scowled. "No we don't. Ashlocke don't get these things wrong, and he says you know Sasha. So where is she?" Max's hand closed around the barrel of the gun.

A shiver rushed down her spine. The name the bald man dropped didn't frighten her, hell she didn't even know it. What frightened her was that all four people were closing in on her, and the eyes of the tall, dark man on her left were glowing and yellow like a cat's. Max had been running this particular Chicago safe house as a part of the mutant underground for a little less than a year. Most of the new mutants she ran across were scared loners, but these four just looked lethal. And somehow, Max got the impression they hadn't come to her for a new lease on life. They had come to put an end to Sasha's.

The young elemental had come to Max the week before, scared that someone was watching her. Max had thought the girl was being paranoid, but she'd helped get her out of Chicago nonetheless. Now it seemed that Sasha had been right on the money. "Screw you," Max growled with all the animosity she could muster. "I ain't telling you shit."

The bald man jerked a thumb at the third man, a short, gray haired man in rimless glasses. "Give my friend there a few minutes, and you'll be singing a different tune."

And with that, hell broke loose in the East Side Tavern. The woman, standing to the right of the others opened her mouth and screamed. The sound that came out was like nothing max had ever heard. It was extremely high pitched and loud, and Max's head felt like it was going to burst. The glass on the shelves behind her began to shake violently. Then it shattered, causing Max to jump, and everywhere glasses and bottles exploded into a thousand sharp, tiny shards.

Bit of glass rained down on her as Max bolted for the far end of the bar, shotgun firmly in her right hand. Her head was still pounding as she vaulted over the bar, sliding on her hip over the slick surface. She hit the ground and spun, cocking the shotgun and taking aim at the first new mutant she spotted. Max never got a chance to fire. The bald man lifted his hands and the weapon tried to tear itself from her grasp. Max slipped as her hold broke. She landed face down on the floor, and glass dug into her palms as she shoved herself back on her feet.

She was barely up by the time the feral was on top of her. She faced him just in time to catch a glimpse of the man's fist as it hurtled toward her midsection. She grunted, the air flying from her lungs. His punches and kicks flew at her faster than she could react, so she managed to block only a couple strikes. She was bruised and aching after only a moment. Then the feral swept a hand across her torso. Max felt the man's claw like nails tear into her flesh.

It was the uppercut to the chin that sent her flying though. Her head snapped back and she saw stars. Stumbling when he hit her, Max tumbled backwards over a table, sending both it and her crashing to the floor. "Oh that is it," she grumbled, picking at the fabric of her torn shirt. "That was my favorite top!"

The feral was on her again, but this time Max was ready. She swung the wood chair with all her might at the man's head. He brought an arm up to block and his attention shifted, if only momentarily to the chair. It was all the opening Max needed. Her right hand snaked out, and she caught hold of the back of the feral's neck. At first he just gasped, but then he started to shudder. When Max let go the man slumped to the floor, unconscious, and Max's eyes had changed, yellow and glowing like a cat.

The other three mutant's in the room looked shocked. The bald man took an involuntary step back. Max's lip curled, a guttural, animalistic growl escaping her lips. She crouched and then sprang upward, grabbing hold of the second story window ledge. She pulled herself up, put an elbow through the glass and was gone.

"What the hell was that?" The glasses wearing psyionic asked.

The bald man shrugged, peering down at the still unconscious man at his feet, careful not to touch him. Despite his apparent apathy, the new mutant that had just escaped intrigued him, and he was sure she would Ashlocke too. "Some kind of feral I guess. Ashlocke didn't say. Now come on, let's find what we came here for. Tear this place apart."

The other two mutants obliged, looking for any trace or data on the location of the new mutants placed from this safe house. The bald man came upon a jacket in the back room. A wallet was inside the front pocket. He flipped it open, and a slow, hard smile came to his lips. The woman that had just been here stared back at him from a Chicago driver's license. "Well Ms. Maxine Wallace, until we meet again."

Meanwhile, outside, Max stood on the roof of a neighboring building. She used the feral's keen vision to watch her bar. She watched the four mutant's leave her bar, the girl and the gray haired man holding the feral between them. She stayed there, watching, till the first signs of fire reached her. The smoke prickled her sensitive nose. Then she turned away. She walked to the edge of the roof and jumped, landing in a crouch in the alley below. She fished her cell phone from her pocket and threw it into a nearby dumpster. She was off the grid.

Max started her deliberate march out of the city. Those men weren't about to give up. She had to find Sasha and warn her. And then meant going to see Mutant X.

--

Later that same night, Adam Kane awoke in his bed at Sanctuary, the mountainside home of Mutant X. He groaned, running a hand over his haggard features. He hadn't been sleeping well lately, thoughts of Gabriel Ashlocke running through his mind unbidden. Knowing that he had helped create such an immoral monster kept him from getting a good night's sleep, and had for weeks. Frustrated and knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, Adam threw back his covers and got out of bed. The clock on his bedside table read 4:00 AM.

Adam groggily made his way into the kitchen, set on making a very strong pot of coffee. He expected to find it a bit of a mess, testament to the fact that Brennan and Shal had cooked dinner the night before. Somehow the two of them always managed to turn the simple act of cooking into an extreme sport. What Adam hadn't expected to find; however, was a teary eyed Emma DeLauro seated at the counter. His heart went out to the younger woman, knowing that the last weeks had been hard on her too.

"Emma?" Adam approached her slowly. "What's going on?" he took the stool beside the psyionic, sliding a hand over her shoulders. He felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him, and for a brief moment, wished to take Emma in his arms and hold her close. The revelation startled him.

"It's Shal," Emma sniffed. She wiped quickly at her eyes, embarrassed that Adam had caught her. Despite her growing powers, Emma still often felt like the others saw the need to protect her, that she was weak. She didn't want Adam to think that of her. Emma drew in a deep, steadying breath.

"You know that I'm more connected to everyone here at Sanctuary than anyone else. I can feel her when she sleeps. Ashlocke keeps invading her dreams. She just feels so helpless, so violated, and I can't do anything to stop him! Adam, he's getting too strong. It's hard for me to block him out, even when Shalimar is awake, and when she's asleep it's just that much worse." The tears were coming again, she could feel them stinging at her eyes.

"Emma, you know it's not your fault. If anyone is to blame here it's me. I'm the one that stabilized his genetics, the one that let him loose on the world to start with. All I can ask is that you and the others do your best against him while I try to figure out a way to stop him. And I know you are, and Shal knows it too." Emma still wasn't looking at him. Adam gently lifted her chin, bringing her eyes to meet her own.

In them, Emma saw warmth and understanding. There was something else too, something deeper that he was trying to keep from her. The quiet, electronic beeping that suddenly pierced the air stopped her from pondering it further. She shot Adam a quizzical glance. Kane frowned. "I don't know." He stood and hurried out of the kitchen and into Jesse's labyrinth of computer terminals, Emma on his heels.

Adam sat down, fingers flying across the keyboard. His frown deepened, and Emma felt an upswell of worry from the older man. "Go wake the others," Adam ordered gravely.

"Why? Adam what happened?"

"The safe house in Chicago was torched, a little over an hour ago." It was all the prompting Emma needed. She turned on her heel and flew away.

End Prologue

Okay I realize that had very little of our fav characters in it, but I needed to set the scene. Hope you enjoyed it regardless, and I promise much more of Jesse, Shal and Brennan in upcoming chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

A/N: I hope to be getting a chapter or two out every week. Hopefully you'll be seeing plenty of action, some angst and a whole lot of our favorite mutants.

Disclaimer: The only ones I own were never on TV.

"Jesse," Emma DeLauro peered down at her sleeping, blonde headed friend. "Jesse, Jess wake up." The young molecular rolled over in his bed, mumbling something incoherent. Emma rolled her eyes, leaning over to give him a firm shake. This was no time for subtlety. "Jesse!"

Jesse Kilmartin stiffened in bed, his eyes shooting open. "Emma?" Jesse glanced over at the clock by his bed. The illuminated numbers flashed 4:32 AM. He sat up, squeezing the bridge of his nose with two fingers. Then he ran his hand through shaggy blonde hair, yawning. "It's early Em, what's goin on?"

"The Chicago safe house," Emma told him, feeling out Jesse's reaction to the news, "someone torched it." At first all Emma could sense was confusion, his sleep addled brain attempting to register the information. When it all clicked, Emma felt Jesse bite back a pang of fear.

"What happened? Was anyone inside?" Jesse asked as he leapt out of bed. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a black turtleneck.

"We don't know. Adam and I only got the alert a few minutes ago." Jesse paused from grabbing his leather jacket off its hook to shoot her an odd look. Emma ignored it. "Come on, Shal and Brennan are already downstairs."

"Adam," Jesse called out, descending the stairs two at a time, "what's going on?"

"I'm not sure, but I want you four to take the Helix and head for Chicago to find out."

Brennan was grim. He was sure Gabriel Ashlocke had something to do with the attack on the safe house, he just wanted to know why. He shot a long, dubious glance at Shalimar. The pretty blonde feral already looked tired, dark circles beneath her eyes emphasizing the strain he saw on her face. She caught his gaze and frowned, "I'll be fine. Let's just go."

--

The East Side Bar was little more than a charred shell when the Mutant X team arrived in Chicago. Shalimar pulled the collar of her long, fawn colored coat higher on her neck, trying to stave off the icy sting of blowing snow against her skin. She was glad that it was late March, and the blowing snows were soon to give way to blue skies and a warm breeze. Feral eyes swept the scene, looking for anything suspicious. "I don't see anything, but the whole place smells like gasoline."

Emma nodded quietly. "Let's just hope the guys have better luck inside."

Jesse and Brennan picked their way through the rubble. Jesse toed aside a few shards of broken glass, pieces, he could only assume that had come from the bottle lining the walls. "You think it was Ashlocke?" Jesse asked. He kept a wary eye on the fire officials and detectives swarming the burned building. Only Adam's contacts with local official had garnered them access inside the police lines, and neither Jess nor Brennan felt like answering any unnecessary questions.

"Who else?" Brennan responded, his tone hushed. "Cops said nothing was taken, the cash register wasn't disturbed. And we know Ashlocke's been trying to get at the Underground for months now. You realize how many new mutants that would be for his apocalyptic army? He knows Adam has helped set up safe houses around the country, and he knows that every safe house keeps detailed records of all new mutants that pass through its doors."

Jesse shrugged. "True, but why here, and why now? He hit this safe house for a reason, and I want to know what it is."

"Me too. Think we can get into the Vault?"

Jesse scanned the crowd and gave a sharp shake of his head. "Not with all these people milling around. I don't want to risk anyone seeing me phase out the wall. We'll have to come back tonight." Brennan nodded toward the door, and they slipped out to meet the girls.

--

Meanwhile, Gabriel Ashlocke stood with a cell phone to his ear. The dark haired man's face was full and healthy, his eyes glimmering with malicious intent. He had Adam Kane to thank for his health. The fool hadn't been willing to let his pet mutants die for the good of all mankind, so now Gabriel was relishing watching all of mankind die in his place.

However, the news his man in Chicago was relaying was not making Ashlocke's night. "What do you mean she got away?" he barked. "Did you at least find Allweather?" Gabriel ran a hand over his face. "No…no excuses. Find her and bring her to me. She is an integral part of my plan. I can't proceed without her."

"Yes sir," the bald molecular said into his phone. He was sweating despite the cold. Ashlocke made him nervous, in truth made them all nervous, but he was the Links unequivocal leader. Gabriel was the new mutant's best line of defense against people and a government that would prefer to see all new mutants kept as lab rats. Gary Linsome was nobody's fuckin lab rat. He'd played that game once, doctors running all sorts of tests to see just how far his abilities to manipulate metal extended. No, he'd take Ashlocke and freedom, over the alternative.

"We'll find Allweather," Gary promised. "But look, Ashlocke, the girl at the bar tonight, you know who she is?"

"Maxine Wallace," Ashlocke replied flippantly. "According to my sources she locked horns with Mutant X some time last year. Kane turned her, made her one of his cronies. "Why?"

"Is she a feral?"

"The report didn't say."

"Yeah well, you may want to check her out. She took Jonas down pretty easy. We were tracking her for a while, trying to see if she'd lead us to Sasha, but it was a no go. We lost her half an hour back."

"Forget her, the information I need is back at the safe house. Get back to me when you have Allweather." The line went dead. Gary sighed, pocketing his phone.

--

Later that night Jesse, Shalimar, Brennan and Emma returned. Brennan overloaded the street lamps around the bar with a Tesla coil, plunging the block into darkness. Shalimar's keen eyesight told them there was no one around, nor could Emma feel a presence. Jesse took the lead, trotting up to the front door. He phased the door, letting the others pass before slipping inside himself.

The bar was dark, and Brennan flicked on a flashlight, keeping the beam low to the floor. "Over here," he whispered. "Adam said the Vault door is located on the South side of the building." He tapped the wall, and a hollow sound reverberated back. Brennan slid his hands over the wall, trying to feel for any irregularities beneath his hands that would indicate a secret entrance. After a minute he sighed and gave up. "Mind sticking your head in Jesse?"

The molecular grinned. "Not in the least." Jesse phased out and stepped through, only to have his head and shoulders appear back through the wall a moment later. Emma suppressed a grimace. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to seeing only half of her friend slide through a solid object. He raised an eyebrow, "Coming?"

One by one the team members stepped through the wall and onto a narrow landing. A twisting metal stairway led down into the hidden lower room. Brennan went first with the light, scanning the walls for a switch that might give power to what the underground affectionately called the "Vault". He found it at the base of the stairs, and lights began to flicker to life all around them. Brennan switched off the flashlight.

Jesse went straight for the computer. Practiced, agile fingers leapt across the keyboard. "This is the list of mutants that's come through here in the last year," he explained to the others. "They're categorized by age, sex, height, weight and ability, and cross referenced to any news articles or medical studies that have been made about them n their lives. It's also got a list of new identities and locations. If Ashlocke got a hold of this…"

Emma leaned on his shoulder, peering at the screen. "No kidding."

Shalimar gave a little grunt. "You know, I'd never have pegged Max as anal."

"I prefer to think about it as meticulous," Max's voice from the landing startled them all. The Mutant X whirled to face their friend. She was soaking wet, shivering uncontrollably in only a tank top, ice crystals woven into her hair. Her chin sported a nasty, dark bruise. Her left arm had been bleeding, dark blood smeared down her forearm. Her right hand clutched a tear in her shirt, and blood oozed out between her fingers. "So, what do you think of my bar?" she joked. "Really you shoulda come on a Saturday night, its much more lively."

Shalimar said first what the rest were thinking. "Geez Max, you look like hell."

Max managed a weak grin. "Nice to see you too Kitty-cat." Shalimar scowled. She and Max hadn't exactly gotten off on the right foot when they'd met, and although they bordered on friends now, the obnoxious nickname Max had given her upon their first meeting had stuck. Halfway down the steps, her knees buckled. She pitched headfirst, sliding down the steps and landing in a heap at the bottom. Jesse was the first at her side.

Max grasped his arm, eyes wild. "They're after Sasha." Then she blacked out.

Chapter 2


End file.
